Means for automatic frying and basting of eggs



Aug. l, 1950 K. E. BEMls `2,512,167

MEANS FOR Aufrolu'r FRYING BSTING 0F msA Filed May 29, i4 lersneets-'st 1 fr? ver? for wg 4. f/

Aug. l, 1950 K. E. Bl-:Mls- 2,517,167

MEANS FOR AUTOMATIC FRYING AND BASTING 0F EGGS Filed May 29, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @5f/5MM 'atentecl ug. 1', 195() UNITED MEANS FOR AUTOMATIC FRYING AND BASTING OF EGGS Ken E. Bemis, Oakland, Calif.

Application May 29, 1946, Serial No. 673,051 11 claims. (o1. sei-"330) This invention provides a new and improved means for frying eggs in that it involves a timed and measured basting step, with basting initiated following a predetermined time-elapse period of frying and with a measured amount of water through a second predetermined time-elapse period, with combined frying and steaming continuing `for a third measured time period, thus resulting in the most rapid and uniform cooking of the eggs with the eggs actually fried and steamed instead of being merely steamed as occurs with conventional processes which involved basting or steaming. Furthermore the eggs are heated and suitably cooked clear through without actual eongelation of the yolks and without crisping of the whites, vand the eggs are therefore more delectable in appearance and flavor, devoid of unheated totally uncooked yolk or white portions.

This process provides what may be considered as a combination of fried and poached egg. In certain egg cooking processes the eggs are fried until nearly done and are then covered to steam the top surfaces resulting in a product in which the yolks are still raw in the central portion and usually with the whites crisped on the bottom to an inedihle stage because of the extended time of frying.

With my process the griddle is maintained at a proper temperature for frying, at a temperature to complete the operation in a predetermined period of time preferably about 75 seconds. When the eggs are broken into the griddle it causes a cooling effect on the griddle, considerably lowering the temperature. If basting was started immediately there would be no frying operation but simply a sort of poaching operation. However, in my process the griddle is given suitable time to restore its normal frying temperature and frying is then continued for a predetermined period, about 60% of the total timeelapse period, to attain the most delectable degree of congelation of the whites, this time-elapse period being preferably about 45 seconds and only then is a measured quantity of warm water introduced and then only on areas of the griddle not occupied by the eggs and only through a predetermined period of time, preferably 5 seconds, or about 7% of the total time-elapse period.

This again drops the temperature of the griddle and the water changes into steam which is trapped in a hood over the eggs and which steam envelopes and cooks the tops of the eggs and heats the eggs downward from the top surfaces while the griddle gradually regains its normales 2 frying temperature and continues the iryingon the bottom of the eggs, with the entire operation terminatedand the hood raisedto permit the steam to escape at a measured time interval, preferably seconds followingintroduction of the eggs into the griddle recesses. Best results are obtained when the griddle isheated to a proper temperature `for the above time-elapse periods, though satisfactory results are obtainable within 15% of these periods if the griddle is heated to suit the decreased Or extended times.

With this method, because of the specific timing and measure of water introduction, and the measured combined frying and steaming period, the eggs increase considerably in volume and are light and tasty, Withthe whit-es on the surface congealed to just suiiicient degree to provide a serving of eggs which is appetizing and of delicious flavor.

The objects and advantages of the invention are as follows:

First, to provide an egg cooker which is automatically timed for initial frying period, initiation andtime interval of basting and the amount of water admittedforbasting, and for nal combined frying and steamingperiod.

Second, `to provide an egg cooker with automatic control of the volume of water introduced for basting. l

Third, to provide an egg cooker with time control for timing the entire period and the sequential stepsin the cooking process.

Fourth, to provide an egg cooker which will initially fry the eggs for a predetermined period of time and then change to combined frying and steaming for a second measured period of time for thorough heating of `the eggs.

` Fifth, to provide `an egg cooker with a supply of water for basting and with means for measuring a predetermined volume of water under a predetermined head irrespective of the remainingvolume Or head `ofthe supply, for basting the eggs.

Sixth, to provide an egg cooker with timed control. means and automatic Volume and head measuring means for introducing a predetermined volume of water under `a predetermined `head within a predetermined period of time, and following a predetermined time-elapse period after starting `frying of the eggs, for basting the eggs, and subsequently `terminating cooking of the eggs and freeing the steam generated `at the completion of a total time-elapse period,

Seventh, toprovide an egg Cooker as outlined `which. is simple in construction and arrangement,

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation through the invention and corresponds to ajseotio'n taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the. invention with the griddle removed.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of thegriddle.

and which consists of a housing 2l having front and back walls 22 and 23, side walls 24 and 25, a top wall 2G to which is suitably attached the actuating arm I3, a horizontal partition 21 intermediate the height and coincidently forming the bottom of the water container and the top of the steam dome, and an apportioning and head standardizing chamber formed by a vertical partition 23 near the rear 'wall and extending almost 'to 'the top wall 26 and forming the water meas- ,uring and head stabilizing control, the compartment formed by this partition having a volume preferably equai to the amount of water to be introduced with each egg frying operation.

A ller vent 29 is provided at the forward end of the water compartment and extends down Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the invention in Number 651,393, led March 1, '1946, and which "i application has resulted in Patent No. 2,430,444, with modificati-ons to suit the specific operati-ons and time sequences required. This combined timer and actuating means, as is'f'ully disclosed in the ycopending appiic'ation, consists of -a con-- stantly rotatingshaft and clutch 'member and ka 'stationary disc Ill anda rotatable disc` llwhich cooperate with an actuating member I2Y which carried an arm I3 for actuating adevice, depression of the ar'mfasindi'cated in Fig. 2 causing the constantly rotating clutchr to engage the rotatable disc and carryit along with the shaft 'until certain engageable elements AI"=I"'on'-the'"discs 'cooperate toy rst lift the arm l3and then 'disengage the clutch; The `tin'ieinterval is fixed, as there is no way of adjusting the timer. The timer `is'arranged to complete 'an noperation in 'one-half, one-third, or one-fourthofa 'revolution of the shaft and is arranged iii-accordance 'with the specific time cycle required, which in the present case is found to 'give best results at '15 seconds for the complete cycle so thatwith one 'pair of engagingy elements 'litA on each disc, the 'sh'aftwvouldbe driven continuously at a speed of one revolution in'two and oneehal'f minutes fwith the timer operating throughy a cycleA of Ione and one-quarter minutes, and therefore the in= vention isi-always readyfor instant operation and can only operate through the specic time 'period for which the Atimer is constructed andthe speed at which the 'shaft is driven.'

The invention includes/a griddle I5 which vis provided with depressions I6 and I'I eachr normally made ofv asize suitable for ltwo deesh'el'led veggs l-8, and lthis griddle is provided with-suitable heating means and vtennne'rature 'control means of conventional types, and indicated as being electrically heated withy current supplied `through the cable I9', the heating elementsand thermal controls (not shown) lbeing housed with- -in the base portion of the griddle.

'The principal part'of the invention exists in the combination Ysteam dome, water container, water measuring and head stabilizingmeans, 'and controlvalve and-actuating means therefor,

into thecompartment to a level slightly below the level of the top of the partition 28 as indicated 'at 30 so that the container cannot be filled to a level higher than the top of the partition and thus increase the head for dispensing water.

The space 3i below the bottom 21 of the water 'reservoir comprisesV the steam hood and the surrounding walls bea'r directly on the surface of the griddle as indicated in Fig. 2, during a fry'- 'ing operation.

The water dispensing means consists of two tubes, 32 and 33 one for each side of the container, and which have communication with the apportioning compartment as indicated at 34 and open through the bottom of the container as indicated at 35 and which are closed by resilient 'valves 3S and 3l' which are carried by the arms 38 and 39 the rearward ends of which extend through the rear wal-l and are xed on a transverse shaft I0 which is suitably rotatably supported by the hood as indicated at 4I, the forward ends being drawn up to normally closeth'e valves by plungers 42 and 43 which in turn are urged upward `by springs 44 enclosed in housings 't5' passing through the water compartment and sealed therein and with the upper ends closed by removable plugs t6.

An actuating lever 41 is iixed at one end on the shaft and extends rearwardly to a point slightly within the peripheral edge of the rotatable disc il for cooperation with an engagv`ingelement such as a pin 48 specially provided on the timing device. The actuating arm I3 is attached to the top of the hood as indicated in Figs. 2 and 5.

To place the invention in service, the hood is depressed by means ofthe handle 49 to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the tank 25 is filled with water through the vent 29 and the timer set in operation. The griddle is arranged'to heat to and maintain a predetermined temperature, being thermostatically controlled by conventional "means y When the `engaging element 8 on the timer reaches the lever d?, it will open the valves 3e and 3l, `but since the container cannot be lled sufficiently to ov'erow the partition 28 because of the depending filler vent 3U, and being `the initial lling of the container no water will be released, and as the engaging members I4 come into engagement the arm i3, and with it the hood will be raised to the position indicated in Fig. 5, and when-this position is reached, the hood is supported in that position ready for the r'st opera tion, this raising of 'the hood causing the water zin the container to overdow the partition 28 and 'fill-'the apportioning and head maintaining compartment 50, and this will occur Veach timeth'e lposesof clarity. i f

hood is raised, so. long. as'anyawatr is left `in `the The eggs are broken'into afdislr, thegriddle ite-.- cesses or depressions I6 andllare buttered, the eggs poured into the recesses `where `they are limited to spread by theperipheralV wall of the `recesses to form circular servings. -The handle 49 is depressed bringing the hood `down into con-` tact with the top of the griddle, which ismul taneously disengages the engaged. members 1I4 and thus causingfclutchingof the disc I I :which starts rotation of the discwith the continuously driven shaft of the timer,.the operation of which is completely explained in mycopending application previously mentioned.`

The eggs initially cause a drop in temperature of the griddle and which temperature is `quite rapidly restored.` The eggs start` frying and continue to fry until the pin 48 on disc Il engages `the control lever 4'! and raises :the end, which through the shaft 40 and levers 38 and 39 opens the valves 36 and 31 allowing the water in the compartment 50 to flow through the tubes 32 and 33 onto the surfaces 5| and 52 on Ytherespective `sides and between the two recesses as indicated at 53 in Fig. 6, until the pin 48 passestheend and releases the lever 41, freeing the levers 3B and 39 to be snapped back into` position to` close the valves by the springs 44, thus terminating admission of water'within a specific time .interval irrespective of whether the water has completely drained from the compartment 50 or not, so as to maintain an exact time-elapse sequence for the respective operations and for `thezentire process.

The water, though warmed in the hood compartment, causes a second cooling effect on the griddle but the griddle changes the water `into steam as indicated at 54 which fills `the hood and envelopes the tops of the eggs, while in themeantime the griddle again regains its normal tem` perature and continues the frying operation, and after a further time-elapse periodthe engaging elements I4 on the timer again become engaged, raising the arm I3 and with it the hood, to the `position Ashown in Fig. 5, thus completing the operation with the eggs perfectly fried and basted, with the entire egg heated clear through, r

the egg considerably expanded and therefore light and tender; and with the covering whites suitably cooked to `a translucent stage where the yolks show through but properly cooked without undue congelation, resulting in a highly digestible 'and appetizing serving of eggs.` l

As will be readily apparent from the drawings, the timer serves as a hinge for the hood, and this invention can readily be arranged for manual timing and operation by hinging the rear lower edgeof the hood to the base as is conventionally done with waille irons and the like, and manually operating the trip lever` 4T, which can be arranged to operate in the most convenient position with the hood manually lowered, timed, the lever 47 depressed for a few seconds after a predetermined time interval and released, and the hood raised after another time interval, and which would be well suited to ordinary household use. The container can be refilled at any time as required during a frying operation when the hood is lowered.

A resilient valve proved most satisfactory, since metal valves of the mushroom or ball type tended to gum up, while the resilient type could be used determined quantityof water from said conf` tainer` through` raising and lowering of thehood, anddispensing means for` said measuring means and operable by said timer `for introducing `the measured quantity of water to said griddle following a predetermined time-elapse period after the hood is lowered, to `formI a` body of 4steam within theenclosure.` A t 2. An egg; cooker in combination; a griddle; a hood `to forman enclosure over the griddle when in lowered.; position and movableto `a raisedA position andaihinged support;for said hood; a `water container associated with said hoodand including `measuring means communicable with said i `water container for measuring a predetermined quantity of water, when the hood is raised and establishing a i standard quantity undera standard head whenthe hood is lowered to rest onvthe griddle andan outlet for said `measuring means, and `dispensing means for said `measuring means and including a valve and control means therefore for said outlet for discharg-` ing said standard quantity to said griddle through said outlet when the hood is in its lowered position.f` i i i `3. `A structure ashdeined `in claim 2; said hood having top, front, rear, and side Walls and a horizontal partition'interrnediate the height of the -hoodto divide the hood into a lower hood `portion to form an enclosure over the griddle and an upper water `container portion forming said water container, and having a chamber formed at the rear end adjacent the `rear wall and extending substantially to the top wall `and having aiwater passage `atthe top with the water passage functioning as the `head and quantity standardizing means, andincluding said outlet and valve and valve control meansl from the lower end of the chamber to discharge to` afpredetermined point on the griddle within the connes of the hood 4. `A structure as deined inzclaim 2; timing means; said Vcontrol means comprising a lever arm having said valve` to close said outlet andspring urging meanstherefor for normally closing said outlet, said lever arm having an operative connection exteriorly of the hood with said timing means for actuating said lever arm to open said outlet following apredetermined time-elapse period after the hood has been lowered.

5. A culinary device, in combination; a support; a, griddle mounted on said support; a hood hingedly supported by said support and movable to a raised position, and depressable to a lowered position incontact with the griddle to forman enclosure thereover; a container for water formed in said hood and including an apportioning and head standardizing compartment for measuring a predetermined quantity of water and establishing a predetermined head therefor with each raising connections 42 i therefor for .dispensing :said `measuredy .quantity of water from Said compartmentto .predetermined areas `of `said griddle within the'connes .of 'said hood to form an envelope of steam within the hood over the top surface of'oodbeing cooked 'on the griddle. I

6. .A structure as dei-ined in claim said hood comprising top, front, rear, and side walls, and an intermediate horizontal wall coincidently functioning as the top wall of the enclosure and the bottom of said container for water, saidcornpartment being formed adjacent the rear wall 4and extending substantially to the `top of the .container and having a passage 'for water at the upper `end for filling from. the container when the hood is raised and for establishing the predetermined 'head when the hood is lowered, and a filler vent for said container and .located at the forward .end of thel hood.

7. A struct-ure as dened in claim 5; timing means supported by said support and hingedly supporting said hood; vsaid timing means :being made actuable through manual depression of said hood to rest on said griddle; said timing means raising said` hoo-d following a predetermined total time-elapse period and `'ll-aving a 'timing kelement operatively related to Isaid control means foractuation 'thereof for dispensing said measured quantity of water following an initial 'time-elapse period` after manual depression of said hood, and releasing said control `means to terminate .dispensing of Water and-close the outletsat the termination of an .intermediate time-elapse period.

8. A structure as 4defined .in .claim 5; said hood comprising top., front, rear,and side walls, 'andan intermediate horizontal wall coincidently tunetioning as the top wall of the enclosure 'and the bottom of said container for water, said apportioning and head standardizing .means comprising said 'compartment formed adjacent 'the rear wall and extending substantially to the top ofthe container and having a .passage for water at the upper 'end for vfilling from the container when the hood is .raised and for establishing 'the predetermined head when the hood is lowered, and a vfiller yent -for said containerand located at the forward `end of the hood; timing means supported bylsaid support and having pivotal connection @with said hood to form said hinged support with said 'hood .manually depressable and said timing means made-actuabl'e through manualdepression of said hood; saidtiming means raising said hoodfollowing .a .predetermined .total time-@lapse A.period and :having a timing elementfoperatively related to said control vmeans for actuation .thereof for dispensing said measured quantity -sof .Water vfollowing aninitial time-elapse period afterimanual depression of said hood, and releasing said control means to terminate .dispensing of waterfan'd close the outlets at the termination of -an intermediate -time-elapse period.

9. A culinary device, incombinati'on; agriddle; continuously driven timing means; ahood hin- :gedly connected with said timing means and nor- .mallymaintained thereby ina raised position and manually .'depressable at will to contact the sur- '.face yof the griddle to form an enclosure for steam thereover and including a container for water formedflin saidfhood and having a compartment formed 'therein-'for apportioning the Water and standardizing; the lhead thereof through vraising and lowering .movements of the hood, said :means including dispensing means and control means therefor vcontrolled :by `said timing means for dischargingthe measured quantity'of Water to predetermined areas of said griddle at a predetermined time insa cooking .cycle with said hood movable Ito a raised position by said timing means at the completion of afcycle. i i

10; A'structureas` dened in .claim 9; said hood comprising top, front, rear, and side walls, and an intermediate horizontal wall coincidently functioning as the top wall of the enclosure and the bottom .of said container for water, said apportioning and head standardizing .means comprising said compartmentlformed adjacent the rear Wall and extending substantially tothe top of the container kand .having a passage Yfor waterat the upper vend for lling from .the container when the hood is raised and for establishing the predetermined head when the hood is lowered, and a'iiller vent for said container and located at the forward end of the hood.

ll. ,A culinary device 'comprising .a griddle and heating `means and a support therefor; a hood hingedly coupled to said support and cooperatively relatedzto said griddle andhaving top, iront, rear, and side walls, Vand a horizontal partition intermediate the height to divide the hood into a lower `steam enclosing compartment in combination with said griddle, and an upper container for Water having ia filler Vent. at the forward end and :internally having an apportioning and head standardizing `chamber located in the rearward portion and extending substantially to the top wall with anintewening passage for water for iillingand head establishing, tubular connections having youtletsopening through said partition'and in communication `with the .lower portion of said chamber; a valve'for each outlet; a valve actuating arm for each 4valve-and means for normally urging saidarms'to close said valves; and control meansfor simu-ltaneouslyactuating .said arms to open said valves :at will todischarge the water containedin said chamber to predetermined areas or lsaid griddle when 'the .hood is in a lowered position, said chamber being filled with water when the hoodfis'raisedand leveled tothe established head when the hood is lowered.

KEN E. BEMIS.

,REFERENCES CITED The yfollowing references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNIFIED STATES PA'IENTS Number Name Date :690,574 Herbs Jan. 7,11902 1,434,792 vNeitro Nov. 7, 1922 1,460,486 Harvey July 3, 1923 :1,702g854 `Simonds "Feb, 19, 1929 1,741,791 `Reel: Dec. 31, 1929 1,865,973 .Shields July 5, 1932 1,955,289 Greenfield Apr, 17, 1934 .2,097,793 l.Howell Nov. 2, 1937 2,132,609 .Eilinger Oct. 11, 1938 

